Copyright 1993 InterPress Service, all rights reserved.
Worldwide distribution via the APC networks.
by greg mcivor
kiruna, northern sweden, aug 26 (ips) - protests and a hunger
strike by a group of reindeer herders dashed the swedish
government's hopes for a smooth inauguration of the country's
first sami parliament thursday.
sweden's 17,000 sami, or lapps, have long demanded their own
national assembly. their wish was finally fulfilled thursday but
amid bitter resentment at new government plans to allow hunting
enthusiasts access to reindeer breeding areas for the first time.
the opening ceremony at kiruna town hall by the swedish king and
queen took place as three reindeer herders completed the fifth day
of a hunger strike.
camped in a tepee-like shelter on a grassy slope outside the town
hall, the three men bore placards denouncing the government's
hunting policy as a declaration of war on sami rights.
under the old system hunters were forced to obtain special
permission from county councils to hunt mountain game birds in
reindeer-breeding areas.
local sami herders were consulted on where, and when hunting
could take place, depending on the whereabouts of their
reindeer. they were entitled to recommend the barring of hunters
from their territory if the herders disturbed reindeer in the
calving season.
but this hunting season is open to all with permits available in
shops and petrol stations. the aim, says the government, is to
make hunting a more widely available recreation.
the sami, however, fear an invasion of hunters and massive
disruption to reindeer at calving time in late august and
september, the most sensitive time of year.
''the nonchalance which the government has displayed is
incredible,'' said josef pittja, 59, one of the hunger-strikers.
''we have repeatedly asked to be given a say in the new rules but
we have been ignored.''
he added: ''it has always been reindeer herders' right to check
hunters' permits but we have even been stripped of that.''
olof johansson, a reindeer herder from southern lapland, or
sapmi, said he could not remember a time of such intense anger at
the government. ''they trample on us and then wipe their shoes on
us,'' he said.
the new hunting rules were part of a package adopted by the
swedish parliament last year which included the granting of a sami
national assembly. (more/ips)
sweden: hunting row clouds opening of sami parliament(2-e)
this assembly which exercises no genuine political, power but has
a prerogative over sami cultural matters, is seen by many sami as
a sop.
''we've been granted our parliament but we've had to pay a very
high price,'' said ingwar ahren, leader of the swedish sami
association.
assembly delegates were elected in a vote by sami people earlier
this year. there are 31 members, from 11 different parties.
unity on key topics may not be easy but most agree it is vital to
the assembly's success. ''it can be what we make it,'' said ola
pittsa, a member of the sami party 'min geaidu' (my way).
''our culture has gone such a long way towards disappearing and
until now we have had nothing,'' he added. ''the assembly could be
the springboard we need.''
ultimately, the sami hope the assembly will allow them to deal
directly with the government and work towards the preservation of
their culture and the long-term aim of a semi-autonomous lapp
region.(end/ips/np/gm/pt/93)
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